Messages That FoIIow

A Direct Approach
Most appropriate when audience is
receptive
Direct requests
Routine messages
Good-news messages
Goodwill messages
Longer direct messages use informational
pattern or conclusions/recommendations

Messages That FoIIow

Indirect Approach
Most appropriate when audience is likely
to resist message
Bad-news messages
Persuasive messages
Longer indirect messages use logical
arguments as support

stabIishing Good Audience

ReIationships
Use appropriate tone
You-attitude
Emphasize the positive
Establish credibility
Be polite
Project the company's image

1998 by Prentice Hall

Letters, Memos, And Other
Brief Messages
ntercultural requests
Organizing direct requests
Placing orders
Requesting routine information and
action
81a
1998 by Prentice Hall
Letters, Memos, And Other
Brief Messages
Writing direct requests for claims
and adjustments
Requesting routine credit
nquiring about people
81b
1998 by Prentice Hall
Writing Direct Requests
Clearly state your main idea.
ndicate confidence that request will be
fulfilled.
Provide appropriate detail for reader to
comply.
Clarify complicated requests with lists
and tables.
Close with courteous request for
specific action.
8
1998 by Prentice Hall
Direct Request Pattern
Specifically state your main idea.
f more than one request, use headings to
set them off.
Justify or explain request.
Provide relevant details.
Close with request for specific action.
8
1998 by Prentice Hall
%ypes Of Direct Requests
Orders
Requests for routine information/action
Requests to fellow employees
Requests to other businesses
Requests to customers and other
outsiders
8
1998 by Prentice Hall
Direct Requests For
Claims And Adjustments
Explain problem and give details
Provide backup information
Request specific action
Send copies of original documents
8
1998 by Prentice Hall
Making Routine Credit Requests
Get application form.
Supply information.
Support with documentation.
Adopt confident tone.
Note possible future business.
8
1998 by Prentice Hall
Writing Routine, Good-News,
And Goodwill Messages
When to write routine, good-news, or
goodwill messages
Organizational patterns that fit the
type of message
When resale and sales promotion
inserts are appropriate
91a
1998 by Prentice Hall
Writing Routine, Good-News,
And Goodwill Messages
How to encourage readers to take
appropriate action
Credit approvals and
recommendation letters
Correct formats for instructions and
news releases
Appropriate tone for goodwill letters
91b
1998 by Prentice Hall
Organizational Plan For Oral
Or Written Positive Messages
Direct plan usually works best
Clear, concise opening that states main
idea
%horough statement of necessary details
Negative information embedded in positive
context
Courteous close
9
1998 by Prentice Hall
Replying %o Requests
For nformation And Action
Use company letterhead only if company
commits to promised action
Respond to the immediate request
Encourage a sale or future business
Convey a good impression of yourself and
your firm
9
1998 by Prentice Hall
Responding %o Claims
And Adjustments Requests
n general, give customers the
benefit of the doubt.
Ungracious adjustments when
company is at fault may increase
customer dissatisfaction.
9a
1998 by Prentice Hall
Responding %o Claims
And Adjustments Requests
When acquiescing to an
adjustment even when the
customer is at fault, emphasize
that the company is doing the
customer a favor, but maintain
polite and respectful tone.
9b
1998 by Prentice Hall
Responding %o Claims
And Adjustments Requests
When a third party is at fault, the
company has three options:
Honor the claim
Honor the claim with an explanation of
what went wrong
Refer customer to third party for
satisfaction
9c
1998 by Prentice Hall
Elements Of Business Summaries
Accurate and complete content
Comprehensive and balanced information
Clear sentence structure and good
transitions that show relationships
between ideas
9
1998 by Prentice Hall
Possible News Release %opics
Good news about products and operations
Recognition of outstanding employee
performance
Participation in community relations or
public service projects
9
Memos
Memo is a form used by a person known to the
receiver personally. %here fore it is less formal in
tone and without formal elements such as
'solution', 'subscription', greeting or even
signatures at the end.
Memos or memorandum are the important form
of written communication within the
organizations.
A memo is " a short official note that you write to
a person or to several people, especially people
who you work with.
ts origin lies in the Latin word 'mamorare' which
means 'to mention' or to 'tell'.
,
- Memo ls a form used by a person known Lo Lhe person
personally 1herefore lL ls less formal ln Lone and wlLhouL
formal elemenLs such as 'saluLaLlon' 'subscrlpLlon'
greeLlngs or even slgnaLures aL Lhe end
9rlnclples of wrlLlng memo
- Clve necessary and lmporLanL lnformaLlon
- uo noL assume LhaL everyone knows everyLhlng relaLed
Lo Lhe lssue dlscussed ln Lhe memo
- Lxplaln Lhe causes of Lhe problems or reasons for
changes belng suggesLed
- 8e clear 8e concreLe and speclflc
- 8e pleasanL raLher Lhan order
- Ask for feedback or suggesLlons
ow to write a memo?
A memo begins straight with the subject. t
is short and written in a friendly &
cooperative tone.
All business messages and information
solicit a friendly, cooperative and positive
response from the employees, clients,
senior or junior colleagues. cooperative
tone.
Dses of memorandum
- 1o provlde lnformaLlon
- 1o lssue an lnsLrucLlon
- 1o convey a pollcy declslon
- 1o offer suggesLlons
- 1o record/reporL an agreemenL
9ersuaslve leLLers
- 9ersuaslon ls used when we suspecL LhaL Lhe reader wlll
noL be ordlnarlly lnLeresLed ln Lhe message and Lhe
acLlon Lo be Laken and probably Lhe leLLer wlll be
lgnored
- ln such a slLuaLlon Lhe wrlLer uses Lhe devlces of
sLarLllng Lhe reader by lnformlng hlm abouL someLhlng
unexpecLed or unknown 1he reader ls ln Lhls way aL
Lhe very openlng made Lo see why he/she should accepL
Lhe proposal
- 1he leLLer shows how Lhe reader wlll be greaLly beneflLed
by Laklng Lhe suggesLed acLlon
equence of ldeas ln persuaslve leLLer
- 1he openlng senLence (paragraph) ln Lhe persuaslve
organlzaLlon of buslness leLLers (sales) caLches Lhe
readers aLLenLlon
- 1he mlddle secLlon of Lhe persuaslve leLLers glves deLalls
of Lhe producL scheme or whaLever ls belng promoLed
1hls secLlon malnly descrlbes Lhe beneflLs of Lhe readers
lL explalns why Lhe reader should accepL Lhe proposal
- AfLer arouslng Lhe readers' lnLeresL ln Lhe proposal
requesL acLlon such as 'yes' response Lo Lhe proposed
requesL
- May noL be daLed 1hese leLLers can be used by Lhe
company for several monLhs 1herefore Lhe daLe of
Lhe form leLLer may noL be necessary and relevanL
- no personal saluLaLlon 1he sales leLLer ls noL
addressed Lo a speclflc lndlvldual recelver Pls/her
name ls superlmposed as a malllng devlce
- uear lrlend
- uear 8eader
- uear valued CusLomer
- 1he openlng creaLes a pleasanL Lone by saylng LhaL Lhe
reader ls known for hls/her lnLeresL ln Lhe klnd of
proposal made
- 1here ls usually a posLscrlpL message LhaL remlnds you of
Lhe acLlon Lo be Laken wlLhln Lhe speclfled deadllne or
hlghllghL Lhe beneflL or any oLher lmporLanL Lhlng
- MosL persuaslve leLLers lnclude some lnclude some
lmporLanL lnformaLlon regardlng furLher maLerlal Lo be
recelved by Lhe reader
hat is a report?
According to C.A.Brown report is "a
communication from someone who has some
information to someone who wants to use that
information.
A report is a logical presentation of facts and
information. %he information is needed for
reviewing and evaluating progress, for planning
future course of action and for taking decisions.
A report means an account or statement which
describes an opinion, situation etc, which is the
result of observation or enquiry.
A report may be an account of almost anything-a
speech, a discussion, a meeting.
PURPOSE OF
REPORT!NC
CONNUN!CAT!ON DEC!S!ONNAK!NC REv!EW PERFORNANCE
TYP$ OF RPORT$
eneral SpeciIic
PerIormance appraisal Budget report
Weather report
First inIormation report
Periodic report Project report
Audit report Investigation report